System for visual code signaling



' Feb. 24, 1948.

SYSTEM FOR VISUAL CODE SIGNALING'l Filed Dec? 18, 1945 Fig 'l M. JoNEs Er AL 2,436,515

2 Sheets-Sheet 1y INVENToRs 5. M Janes BY 7. 5h17 ATTORNEY Feb. 24, 1948. I 5. M. .-loNEs ErAL 2,436,515 A SYSTEM FOR VISUAL CODE SIGNALING Filed Dec. 18, 1945 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 'w UQ s e l 'LH INVENToRs 5. M d'an's BY` E. 5h17 Patented Feb. 24, 1948 l'i' ST'i'ES QFFIC SYSTEM FOR VISUAL CODE SIGNALING Graves M. .l ones, Beaumont, Tex., and @tha A. Akin, New Orleans, La.

1 This invention relates to a system for transmitting flash light signals.

One of the objects of the invention is to transmit an entire letter to the alphabet at one time,

that is, all of the code elements of the letter are ilashed simultaneously instead of at one at a time, as at present. This materially speeds up the transmission of messages.

Another object oi the invention is a signaling system of the type described,v using luminous tubing as a source of light, since such tubing has proven advantageous over other sources of light, for the purpose of flashing a rapid and fog penetrating signal. The term luminous tubing, as herein employed, is designed to cover any type of tubing which emanates light when electrically energized, including tubing which has been evacuated, or tubing that has been charged with any one or mixture of various gases and vapors, all of which forms of tubing are hermetically sealed and will retain their characteristics over an in definite time period.

Other objects of the invention will appear as the following description of a practical embodiment thereof proceeds.

In the drawings which accompany and form a part of the followng specication:

Figure 1 is a front elevation of a signaling panel, including a side` view of the operating switch;l n

Figure 2 is a View in elevation of the apparatus shown in Figure l, the inner partitions of the panel casing being shown in broken lines;

Figure 3 is a fragmentary View showing in section one of the connectors;

Figure 4 is a side View, partly in section, of one oi the supports for the luminous tubing;

Figure 5 is a diagrammatic View illustrating the electrical system.

A light transmitting signaling system such as is about to be described is generally employed in communicating between ships of a iieet or a ship and shore, and in the illustrated embodiment it is designed to use Morse or International code, which requires no more than five elements (dots or dashes) for any letter of the alphabet or number. A signal panek'casing Hl is provided, which be suitably positioned, for example, on the yard-arm of the mast, preferably in such a manner as to be orientated through an arc of 360, permitting its face to be presented in any direction. The face ll of the panel casing is provided Wit'n five windows or openings i2, i3, ill, i5 and l5. Back of these windows are the respective light boxes I, 2, 3, 4 and 5, formed by a tube supporting partition Il, which extends parallel to the front face Il, and separated from one another by the opaque partitions i8. Luminous tubes a in circular form representing dots, are supported on the front of the partition I1, confronting the respective windows. Other luminous tubes b are supported on the front face of the partition Il, in rectilinear form, arranged longitudinally, confronting the respective windows representing dashes, The dots and the dashes are designed to be alternatively energized.

Figure 4 shows a conventional means for sup porting the tubing, consisting of a socket I9, having a perforated lug 20, adapted to be secured to the partition l1, and an insulating post 2l, having one end Xed in said socket, having a convex seat 22 at its other end, against which the tubing rests, being formed with hook-like ears 23 at the ends of the concave seat and a loop of wire 2li, surrounding the tubing and secured to said ears. The tubing is energized through electrical connections supported by the partition il' and engaging the ends of the tubing. One of these connections is shown in Figure 3. It comprises a socket member 25 of insulation material, which passes through an aperture 26 in the partition Il', and having a flange 21 about its front end which rests flush against the front side of the partition I1. The socket member 25 has molded threads 28, to the rear of the partition Il, engaged by a spring nut 29 which screws up against the partition I'l and holds the socket member in position. The ends of the tubing enter associated socket members in the manner shown in Figure 3, and contact with a spring 3! in electrical contact with a binding post 3|, to which the electrical wiring is connected.

The tube supports and connectors, as illustrated and described, are known devices and do not per se form part of the invention.

Referring to Figure 5, it will be noted that the partition IT divides the panel casing into two compartments, the front compartment being divided into the light boxes, while the rear compartment forms a housing for the transformers 32 and 33, associated with the tubes a and b and the electrical wiring which leads to the transformers. The primaries of the transformers 32 and 33 are connected to a source of current which comes into the panel casing through the line wire 3ft by the branch wires 35 and 36. The tubes are connected across the secondaries of x the respective transformers.

The circuits are completed through the primaries of the transformers through the intermediary of the key switches la, 2a, 3a, 4a and 5a, associated with the respective tubes a and the key switches I b, 2b, 3b, 4b and 5b, associated with the tubes b. Each switch has a wire connection to the primary of the corresponding'transformer and to the opposite line wire 35' by the wires 36' and 3l, the former of which is in circuit with the key switches la, 2a, 3a, 4a and 5a, the latter being in circuit with the switches lb; 2b, 3b, 4b and 5b. Thus, when any switch in the a series is closed, the corresponding dot tube a will be energized, and when any switch in the b series is closed, it will energize the correspondingjdash tube b. Figure 5 shows that the switches are preferably arranged as a keyboard with the corresponding switches of the a and b series in juxtaposition. One will never press thesejuxtaposcd switches simultaneously. Consequently, the tubes exposed in any one of the windows will be alternatively illuminated.

The keyboard is readily learned, and in operation those yswitches are simultaneously closed which will flash the code designation of the entire letter.

Thev size of the panel casing is, of course, immaterial to the invention. It has been found in practice that a panel 6 feet long can be read clearly under adverse conditions at a radius of one mile, and it is obvious that the size could be increased to obtain unlimited range of visibility. The invention is not limited to the manual operation of the key switches. These could be operated mechanically, simultaneously inV proper groupings and sequence 0f such groupings.

It will be understood that the invention is not restricted to the use of transformers as a source of'power` but anysource of current having a voltage high enough t0 instantly illuminate the necessary length of tubing used in each connection will be acceptable. Norwill it be necessary to employ a multiple of transformers, since a single source of high voltage current may be used instead, if desired.

While We have in the above description disclosed what we believe to be a preferred and practical form of the invention, it will be understood by those skilled in the art that the specific construction and arrangement oi parts can be varied without departing from the scope of the invention.

What we claim as our invention is: 1. System for visual code signaling comprising an arrangement of luminous tubes at a. series of adjacent stations in number equal to the maximum number of code characters in any letter in the code alphabet, there being a different shaped Y tube for each code character and a tube for each 2, System of visual signaling by a dot and dash i code comprising an arrangement of luminous tubes at a series of adjacent stations, the number of which stations equals the maximum number of code characters in any letter in the code alphabet, there being a rotund dot and a rectilinear dash tube at eachstation, said tubes being independently electrically energized, and a control circuit for eachtube including'a switch, said switches being arrangedras va keyboard for convenient selective simultaneous group manipulation of the same.

3. lSystem of visual signaling by a dot and dash code comprising a panel, a rectilinear arrangement of luminous tubes extending longitudinally of said panel at an adjacent series of stations in number equal to the maximum of code characters in any letter in the code alphabet, there being a dot and dash tube at each station, the dot tubes being circular and the dash tubes being straight and positioned diametrically with respect to said dot tubes in a common longitudinal line, said tubes being independently electrically energized, and a control circuit for each tube including a switch, said switches being arranged as a keyboard for convenient selective simultaneous group manipulation of the same.

GRAVES M. JONES. OTHA A. AKIN.

REFEREN CES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number 

